Published by the DJC, by Kent Hohlfeld in Architecture and Engineering
January 16, 2018 4:20 pm
Oregon State University’s School of Civil and Construction Engineering has won a 2017 Women in Build Award. It was given by Build Magazine, a London-based publication that covers construction, engineering and architecture trends and events throughout the world.
The award honors the school’s efforts to help women come to forefront of a traditionally male-dominated field.
“(The award) is a reflection of the changing population of the school,” OSU Public Information Specialist Johanna Carson said. “The goal is to become a model of inclusive practices.”
Between 2013 and 2017, OSU increased its female graduate student population in the School of Civil and Construction Engineering (CCE) by 6.5 percent. Also, the number of women in the school’s faculty has increased threefold during that same four-year period.
Recent additions to the faculty include Assistant Professor of Structural Engineering Erica Fischer, Assistant Professor of Geomatics Jihye Park and Assistant Professor of Construction Engineering Management Yelda Turkan. Fischer’s research largely focuses on improving resilience and robustness of structural systems affected by natural and man-made hazards. Park brings expertise in advanced algorithms that are used to improve the performance of positioning and navigation systems under harsh environments. Turkan works on sensing automation, and information technology for construction engineering and management, infrastructure asset management and transportation.
“We were pleased to learn that CCE has been selected for this award, as it recognizes the hard work of our faculty and staff in recruiting and retaining a more diverse community,” the school’s head, Jason Weiss, stated via email.